Helpringham
Encyclopedia
Helpringham is a village and civil parish in the North Kesteven
district of Lincolnshire
, England. It lies on the edge of the Fens
, 5 miles (8 km) south-east of Sleaford. It is noted for its Grade I listed St Andrew's church.
to the south. Heckington
is 2 miles (3.2 km) to the north, and Swaton
2 miles (3.2 km) to the south.
The parish includes the hamlet of Thorpe Latimer to the south. To the west it extends to the boundary with Scredington
, up to Field Farm. The boundary to the north follows North Beck, which skirts the north of the village, crossing the B1394 at the narrow Red Bridge. To the east, the boundary follows Helpringham Eau, which crosses the north-south Car Dyke
. To the north at this point is Little Hale. Further east along Helpringham Fen, the parish extends to the South Forty-Foot Drain, and the district of South Holland
and the parish of Donington
.
At this point on the non-navigable South Forty-Foot Drain, at Eau End Farm, is where South Holland and the Borough of Boston
meet. Along the South Forty-Foot Drain
, the parish extends just south of the railway line and bridge, passing two pumping stations, and the southern boundary meets Swaton. East to west along Helpringham Fen is the Engine Drain.
The Blotoft level crossing is on the Old Forty Foot Bank at South Drove Farm.
regarded it as "fine" and Cox as "handsome... [with an] exceptionally fine tower". Originating from the 13th century with later additions and adaptions, it was restored in 1891 by Hodgson Fowler following a roof collapse in 1890. The church is complete ashlar-faced
. The tower is of Decorated style with a Perpendicular crocketed
spire attached by flying buttresses
, and pinnacles
set in battlements
. The north side of the chancel
houses a mural brass
to Antonie Newlove, patron of the vicarage, died 1597. The circular font
is from 1200 and the rood screen
17th century, and parts of an architectural Norman
frieze
are on the south wall and north-east corner.
In 1885 Kelly’s noted the parish area as 3,227 acres with principal agricultural production of wheat, barley, oats, beans, turnips and seeds. The population in 1881 was 941. Chief landowners at the time included Lord Willoughby de Broke
. There were three chapels: Baptist
, Congregational and Primitive Methodist, the latter rebuilt in 1883. An early 19th century circular village pound behind the Methodist Chapel is Grade II listed.
Further parish listed buildings include the steps to the base of a former village cross, now surmounted by a war memorial, situated on the village green, an 1864 tower mill
, mid-18th century Thorpe Latimer House, and the 1825 Red Bridge over the Helpringham Eau waterway.
There was a railway station
just west of the village on the Peterborough to Lincoln Line
. This station closed in 1970. The nearest station now is Heckington
.
The village has a primary school, post office and the Nag's Head public house
.
North Kesteven
North Kesteven is a local government district in the East Midlands. Just over north of London, it is east of Nottingham and south of Lincoln. North Kesteven is one of seven districts in Lincolnshire, England and is in the centre of the County...
district of Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, England. It lies on the edge of the Fens
The Fens
The Fens, also known as the , are a naturally marshy region in eastern England. Most of the fens were drained several centuries ago, resulting in a flat, damp, low-lying agricultural region....
, 5 miles (8 km) south-east of Sleaford. It is noted for its Grade I listed St Andrew's church.
Geography
Helpringham lies on the north to south B1394 road halfway between the A17 to the north, and the A52A52 road
The A52 is a major road in the East Midlands, England. It runs east from the junction with the A53 at Newcastle-under-Lyme near Stoke-on-Trent via Ashbourne, Derby, Stapleford, Nottingham, West Bridgford, Bingham, Grantham, Boston and Skegness before terminating on the east Lincolnshire coast at...
to the south. Heckington
Heckington
Heckington is a village and civil parish in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies between Sleaford and Swineshead Bridge, south of the A17 road. Heckington, with 1491 households, is one of the largest villages in Lincolnshire.-History:...
is 2 miles (3.2 km) to the north, and Swaton
Swaton
Swaton is a hamlet and civil parish in North Kesteven, Lincolnshire, England, off the A52 road on the B1394. The name comes from Suavetone or Swaffa’s Farmstead. The nearest town is Sleaford. The Roman Car Dyke runs to the east of the village. Roman brick pits are still extant. The Eau river rises...
2 miles (3.2 km) to the south.
The parish includes the hamlet of Thorpe Latimer to the south. To the west it extends to the boundary with Scredington
Scredington
Scredington is a village and civil parish located near the town of Sleaford, in the North Kesteven district, in the county of Lincolnshire, England...
, up to Field Farm. The boundary to the north follows North Beck, which skirts the north of the village, crossing the B1394 at the narrow Red Bridge. To the east, the boundary follows Helpringham Eau, which crosses the north-south Car Dyke
Car Dyke
The Car Dyke was, and to large extent still is, an eighty-five mile long ditch which runs along the western edge of the Fens in eastern England. It is generally accepted as being of Roman age and, for many centuries, to have been taken as marking the western edge of the Fens...
. To the north at this point is Little Hale. Further east along Helpringham Fen, the parish extends to the South Forty-Foot Drain, and the district of South Holland
South Holland, Lincolnshire
South Holland is a local government district of Lincolnshire. The district council is based in Spalding.It was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, as a merger of the Spalding urban district with East Elloe Rural District and Spalding Rural District...
and the parish of Donington
Donington, Lincolnshire
Donington is a village and civil parish in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies north of the market town of Spalding on the A152, and is bypassed by the A52. The parish includes the hamlet of Northorpe, and...
.
At this point on the non-navigable South Forty-Foot Drain, at Eau End Farm, is where South Holland and the Borough of Boston
Boston (borough)
Boston is a local government district with borough status in Lincolnshire, England. Its council is based in the town of Boston. It lies around N53°0'0" W0°0'0"....
meet. Along the South Forty-Foot Drain
South Forty-foot drain
The South Forty-Foot Drain is the main channel for the land-drainage of the Black Sluice Level in the Lincolnshire Fens. It lies in eastern England between Guthram Gowt and the Black Sluice pumping station on The Haven, at Boston...
, the parish extends just south of the railway line and bridge, passing two pumping stations, and the southern boundary meets Swaton. East to west along Helpringham Fen is the Engine Drain.
The Blotoft level crossing is on the Old Forty Foot Bank at South Drove Farm.
Village
Helpringham Grade I listed Anglican church is dedicated to St Andrew. PevsnerNikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
regarded it as "fine" and Cox as "handsome... [with an] exceptionally fine tower". Originating from the 13th century with later additions and adaptions, it was restored in 1891 by Hodgson Fowler following a roof collapse in 1890. The church is complete ashlar-faced
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
. The tower is of Decorated style with a Perpendicular crocketed
Crocket
A crocket is a hook-shaped decorative element common in Gothic architecture. It is in the form of a stylised carving of curled leaves, buds or flowers which is used at regular intervals to decorate the sloping edges of spires, finials, pinnacles, and wimpergs....
spire attached by flying buttresses
Flying buttress
A flying buttress is a specific form of buttressing most strongly associated with Gothic church architecture. The purpose of any buttress is to resist the lateral forces pushing a wall outwards by redirecting them to the ground...
, and pinnacles
Pinnacle
A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
set in battlements
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
. The north side of the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
houses a mural brass
Monumental brass
Monumental brass is a species of engraved sepulchral memorial which in the early part of the 13th century began to partially take the place of three-dimensional monuments and effigies carved in stone or wood...
to Antonie Newlove, patron of the vicarage, died 1597. The circular font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
is from 1200 and the rood screen
Rood screen
The rood screen is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or wrought iron...
17th century, and parts of an architectural Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
frieze
Frieze
thumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
are on the south wall and north-east corner.
In 1885 Kelly’s noted the parish area as 3,227 acres with principal agricultural production of wheat, barley, oats, beans, turnips and seeds. The population in 1881 was 941. Chief landowners at the time included Lord Willoughby de Broke
Henry Verney, 18th Baron Willoughby de Broke
Colonel Henry Verney, 18th Baron Willoughby de Broke and de jure 26th Baron Latimer was a British peer.Henry Verney was born at Kineton, Warwickshire on 14 May 1844, the only son of Robert John Verney, 17th Baron Willoughby de Broke , and Georgina Jane Taylor...
. There were three chapels: Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
, Congregational and Primitive Methodist, the latter rebuilt in 1883. An early 19th century circular village pound behind the Methodist Chapel is Grade II listed.
Further parish listed buildings include the steps to the base of a former village cross, now surmounted by a war memorial, situated on the village green, an 1864 tower mill
Tower mill
A tower mill is a type of windmill which consists of a brick or stone tower, on top of which sits a roof or cap which can be turned to bring the sails into the wind....
, mid-18th century Thorpe Latimer House, and the 1825 Red Bridge over the Helpringham Eau waterway.
There was a railway station
Helpringham railway station
Helpringham railway station was a station in Helpringham, Lincolnshire. It is now closed.-References:...
just west of the village on the Peterborough to Lincoln Line
Peterborough to Lincoln Line
The Peterborough to Lincoln Line is a railway line linking and , via and .-History:The section between Peterborough and Spalding closed to passengers on 5 October 1970 and re-opened on 7 June 1971. North of Spalding, Ruskington re-opened on 5 May 1975. Metheringham followed on 6 October...
. This station closed in 1970. The nearest station now is Heckington
Heckington railway station
Heckington railway station is located in the village of Heckington in Lincolnshire, England.-Services:As of December 2010 there is an approximately hourly service to via and .-External links:...
.
The village has a primary school, post office and the Nag's Head public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
.